


Dressing Up

by Rainewritesfanfics



Category: Ranma 1/2
Genre: Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Genderfluid Character, Kimono, Other, Shrine Visit, o-shogatsu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27948506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainewritesfanfics/pseuds/Rainewritesfanfics
Summary: Ranma and Akane prepare for their New Year’s shrine visit. Ranma always forgets how much effort goes into wearing a furisode, but she enjoys getting to have Akane fuss over her.
Relationships: Saotome Ranma/Tendou Akane
Comments: 15
Kudos: 42





	Dressing Up

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first Ranma fic. I haven’t watched the show in about 2 years, so I apologize if there are some details out of place.
> 
> I wrote Ranma as genderfluid in this fic. This particular fic uses she/her pronouns while Ranma is in the girl body. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Note: furisode is a type of kimono with long, hanging sleeves. It is worn primarily by unmarried women.

“Stop moving and let me braid your hair,” Akane huffed, pinching Ranma’s cheek

Ranma groaned, hiking her shoulders higher as she scrunched into a half-hearted impression of a ball. “Do we have ta?”

“You’re the one who insisted on wearing a furisode for the shrine visit,” Akane reminded as she leaned against Ranma’s back.

Ranma sighed, uncoiling enough to tip her head back and kiss Akane’s nose. “I know. I just didn’t think there’d be so much fuss.” Ranma crossed her arms. “Menswear is so much easier. You don’t have to dress up for it.”

Akane snickered. “Well, it’s not too late for me to get a kettle and change you.”

“Ha-ha,” Ranma said dryly. “Not tonight. I was a guy for most of the week. I’ve been looking forward to wearing that kimono again.” She sighed again, stretching her legs against the tatami floor. “Go ahead and make me pretty.”

“Prettier,” Akane murmured.

Ranma huffed to cover her surprise. “You’re not cute at all,” Ranma mumbled.

“Sure,” Akane said, no longer rising to the bait after all these years. She ran the brush through Ranma’s blazing red hair again before turning to fuss with the hair accessories, trying to remember how Kasumi had taught her.

Ranma glanced over her shoulder. “Akane?”

“Hm?”

“I... lied.”

Akane didn’t even pause prepping the hair clips on the low table. “Oh?”

“You are cute.”

Stifling a smile, Akane looked up at her partner. They had been an official couple for years now, and yet Ranma rarely changed in terms of fumbling affections— not that Akane would want her beloved idiot any other way. “Is that right?”

Ranma’s cheeks were almost matching her hair. She nodded once. “Very cute.”

Laughing, Akane crawled around to face Ranma. She leaned forward, watching the way Ranma’s eyes widened with panic and anticipation before fluttering closed. Each individual red lash cast a sharp shadow against Ranma’s cheeks.

“It’s not fair,” Akane teased, her breath warm against Ranma’s waiting lips.

Ranma’s eyes opened just slightly, revealing those beautiful depths that Akane secretly loved to get lost in. “Hm?”

“Your eyelashes are so long and perfect no matter which form.”

A chuckle slipped past Ranma’s lips. It was the last sound she made before Akane closed the distance between them. 

Ranma’s lips were perpetually chapped. Even living with the three Tendo sisters had not quite gotten her up to an acceptable level of self-care. After all, her father had neglected to teach anything of the sort in all their years of traveling and training.

Tonight, though still chapped, Ranma’s lip tasted of the peach balm Nabiki had given Ranma for Christmas. 

Akane leaned forward, deepening the kiss and planting her hands on either side of Ranma’s petite body. 

With a brush of tongue, she had Ranma moaning.

Ranma buried one hand in the short, feathery ends of Akane’s dark hair, somewhere between petting and gripping.

When the need for air became too much, Akane broke the kiss, pressing their foreheads together as they panted.

“T-Tomboy, you sure are something,” Ranma murmured, cupping Akane’s cheek with one hand. 

“Took you long enough to realize it.”

Shaking her head, Ranma said. “To admit it. Not realize it.”

Akane gave Ranma a quick peck before taking her spot behind Ranma again. “Good. Now stay still.”

Ranma gave a mock salute. “Yes, ma’am.”

Akane flicked her. “And behave.”

“A double whammy.” 

Ranma obediently held still as Akane watched the video tutorial and copied the crown braid technique.

Ranma watched Akane bustle behind her in the mirror across the room. She entertained herself by making faces and waiting to see how long it would take for her girlfriend to notice.

She was in the middle of a particularly obnoxious impression of P-chan when Akane finally spotted their reflections.

“Ranma! Geez!” Akane wanted to be mad, but the laughter slipped out unbidden. “What an ugly face.”

“You like it?” Ranma’s eyebrows waggled as they made eye contact in the mirror. “I’m practicing for the next time Kuno tries to flirt with us.”

Akane giggled as she tucked a few more pins into place. “If realizing that you are both the dreaded Saotome and his beloved pig-tailed girl didn’t turn him off, I think we just have to accept that we’re doomed to put up with his flirtations until Nabiki-nee-chan nabs him.”

Ranma groaned good-naturedly. “How much do you think she’d charge if we asked her to?”

“More than we can afford,” said Akane as she tied a lilac ribbon into Ranma’s hair.

“Damn. Do you think she offers a family discount?”

“You know she doesn’t.”

They both burst out laughing.

“Alright,” Akane said as she pinned a flower clip into Ranma’s hair. “Can you handle your makeup while I do my hair?”

Ranma arched one brow. “Just cause I’m not always a girl doesn’t mean I didn’t learn a thing or two after dressing up for all those tournaments.”

“Says the person who wore one shade of purple eyeshadow for five years.”

Ranma flinched as she was in the middle of reaching for her purple eyeshadow.

Fifteen minutes later, Ranma was sitting in front of Akane, drawing the wings on Akane’s eyeliner. 

They both held their breath until Ranma set the liner down and leaned back evaluate. Finally, Ranma nodded. “I think it’s symmetrical now.”

Akane checked in the handheld mirror, smiling. “Yeah, much better than when I do it myself.”

With the help of another video tutorial, they donned the two kimono Kasumi had made for their coming of age celebration last Janauary. 

Ranma’s furisode was a rich purple decorated with blue and pink butterflies. Her warm yellow sash was painted with white flowers to match her fluffy collar.

By contrast, Akane’s kimono was a deep pink with classical flowers and patterns in pale pinks and yellows. Her belt was an intricate purple and gold print meant to correspond with Ranma’s outfit.

“Akane, help me with this bow, will ya?” 

“Oh, you’ve got the fold backward. Here, let me just... hm...there!”

Ranma twisted in the mirror. “Oh! You nailed it.”

Akane took a step back, appraising her work. She nodded, smiling. “I may still not be able to cook as well as you, but this I can do.” 

She finished tying her own belt and then slipped the obi board into place. 

Ranma gathered their accessories, making sure Akane’s fluffy winter collar covered her neck. 

“Do you know what you’re gonna pray for this year?” Ranma asked as they made their way down the stairs.

Akane blushed a little and nodded. “Yeah.”

Ranma tilted her head. “Well are you gonna tell me?”

“Nope! It’s a secret.”

“No fair. I’d tell you mine.”

Akane rolled her eyes and hip-checked her partner. “It’s probably something dumb and predictable like being the best martial artist in the world.”

Ranma crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. “So what if it is?”

“Ah! There they are!” Soun beamed, throwing an arm around each of them. “My beautiful daughter and my soon-to-be child-in-law.”

Ranma groaned. “Child-in-law still sounds weird, Uncle.”

Genma chortled. “We’ll workshop it. But for now, just make sure you take care of Akane.”

Ranma scowled. “I’m already better than you are to Mother. Someone who all but kidnapped their three-year-old and left their wife alone for 14 years.”

Genma’s humor slipped. “You want to fight, ingrate?”

Akane smacked them both on the back of the head. “No fighting today! Save it until after the new year, and when Ranma isn’t in kimono.”

Both Saotomes looked at the floorboards. “Yes, Akane.”

“My! You two look so cute!” Kasumi said once Akane and Ranma reached the foyer.

Kasumi was already done up in her blue kimono. It’s shorter sleeves signified her married status almost as much as the smitten man on her arm.

“Tofu, dear, can you get some pictures of Ranma and Akane?”

“Yes, of course, Kasumi.” The doctor fumbled with the camera for a few moments before successfully managing to snap a few shots.

Nabiki, in her riotous orange kimono joined them just in time to be in a few pictures with them and Kasumi. 

“Hey, Ranma,” Nabiki began as everyone gathered their wallets and shoes for the trip. “Is your broken-hearts club joining us?”

Ranma rolled her eyes. “I told ya not to call them that.”

Akane snorted. “We know Ukyo and Shampoo are going to be there.”

“Let’s hope Kodachi and Kuno are too busy terrorizing each other to bother us today,” Ranma grumbled as she checked her bag.

“Is Ryoga-kun going to be there?” Kasumi asked as she scooped up her purse.

Ranma scoffed. “Seeing as that dope left here a week ago, he might make it before we leave.”

Akane giggled. “If he ended up in Hokkaido again, I hope he brings us more of that curry.”

“Pfft. That was good curry.”

One by one, their family members slipped outside until Nabiki winked at Akane when Ranma rushed back upstairs to grab more coins.

Akane waited until she heard Ranma’s feet on the steps.

“Sorry for the holdup,” Ranma called as she came into view.

“Ranma, come here,” Akane said, pointing to the ledge separating the foyer where she stood from the house. 

Ranma walked to the edge of the ledge as indicated. “What is it, Akane?”

Akane smiled, a giggle escaping. “You’re so short in this form that we’re the same height this way.”

Ranma’s lips twisted down. “Hey...”

“It’s cute.”

“Unlike you right now,” Ranma said dryly.

“It has its advantages,” Akane said, leaning forward.

“Like what?” Ranma asked, mirroring Akane.

“Like kissing, Dummy.”

Ranma’s blush was instant gratification for Akane. Ranma froze, then let her head dart around to make sure they were alone.

“You’re awful bold, Tomboy,” said Ranma as she leaned in again and carefully brought Akane’s head closer. 

“I have to be to get anything out of you,” Akane teased.

Their lips brushed. Once. Twice. Three times. Ranma held Akane’s shoulder. Akane reached for Ranma’s waist. 

“Yo, are you two coming, or are you just going to keep making a new shade of lipstick?” Nabiki asked.

Akane and Ranma jerked apart.

“Onee-chan!”

“How long were you there?”

Nabiki smirked, holding her camera. “Who’s to say...”

“Ugh!”

“You’re the worst.”

Nabiki let out a haughty laugh. “Thank you. Now let’s go. One of the priests owes me a good fortune.”

Ranma and Akane shared a look and snickered. 

Slipping on her wooden sandals, Ranma joined Akane outside.

“Ranma, Akane,” Kasumi called from the front gate.

They waved. 

“We’re coming, Onee-chan!”

Ranma glanced to the side, sticking out her right hand.

Akane blinked down at the hand for a second before a wide smile eclipsed her surprise.

She threaded their calloused fingers together.

Ranma’s lips twitched as she spun the ring on Akane’s finger. “Let’s go, Tomboy.”

Akane nodded, pulling Ranma closer. 

_‘Gods, if you can hear me, please let Ranma and I have a happy marriage.’_

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the story! Please let me know via comment if you did, or if there was a favorite line. I liked writing the lipstick line.


End file.
